


We Fall in Autumn (Chloé Bourgeois Redemption)

by bugaboo0scrambles



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Bee Miraculous, Chloé Bourgeois Redemption, Gen, Identity Reveal, Light Angst, some light ice angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-27 00:28:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21109697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bugaboo0scrambles/pseuds/bugaboo0scrambles
Summary: Chloé took up Ladybug’s advice on bettering herself and serving Paris without her mask. Set in a couple of years in the future, Chloé has changed so much compared to before. She has an internship at City Hall, assisting her father with his duties and campaigns. All when trying to manage endless paperwork and school, Chloé forgets to slow down and catch her breath. But what’s more heartbreaking is the discord going on over the Miraculous Duo.A smear campaign on the champions of France.Could it cause another Akuma that Paris can’t handle or will Chloé need to step up and protect her heroes? All when knowing who they are under the mask.This is Chloé’s Path To Redemption





	We Fall in Autumn (Chloé Bourgeois Redemption)

**Author's Note:**

> This a stand-alone fic, but it does reference another fic that you can find on my profile here or on Tumblr. Links will be provided at the end of this writing.

The world could survive without a Queen ruling over it. Maybe even thrive and prosper without one. 

Nevertheless, Paris, France, Europe - Possibly the whole world would be up in flames without a ladybug and a black cat by its side. Forgetting how to breathe if one day they just disappeared. 

Unfortunately, they didn’t know how much they need them before they did disappear. 

Not disappear like thinning out into nothingness as if they were a cloud of smoke with a blink of an eye and a gush of wind. More like gradually fall like the orange and brown leaves on the sessile oak or sweet chestnut tree. Die-off as the wind sweeps them off their skinny branches. In the beginning, the autumn breeze seems to carry nothing. However, piles of lifeless leaves will gather on the edges of the street and sidewalks. Only to be noticed by someone out of the blue. Only once autumn has already set the weather to a different course, someone will say-

“Oh, it’s fall.” Or “Oh, they’re really gone now." 

The heroes can easily dust off the city’s ignorance like how a tree still appears lush and full even when some leaves droop and die. Yet with time, they are destined to wither away. Becoming drained as people throw insults, threats, assumptions (as if it’s a game of skipping stones)- overlooking how much they really need the protectors of Paris. Ladybug will grow too anxious to sleep or breathe. Her old habits will return after losing them a few years back. She’ll bite her nails and leak self-doubt into her words. Believing she did something wrong to cause this. She’ll try to pacify the city. To convince them to listen to reason. Explaining their situation with Hawkmoth while the citizens grow impatient thanks to the opinions of internet hermits. Publishing mediocre articles about conspiracies theories against the Miraculous Duo. Chat Noir, who never mind much about the press before, forces himself to bite his tongue when outlandish headlines targeted naive readers (adding more fuel to the anti-Miraculous party). Turning what was once an escape into another glass enclosure. Noticing that everything great in his life has its drawbacks. 

The city will then be divided. 

One side wants the miraculous out and away from France. Returned back to whatever temple, planet or alley they came from. Others, mostly victims of Hawkmoth’s plans, will disagree. However, their numbers decrease with time. 

Politicians will form scripts for their answers on election night, calculating what’s the best answer. Figuring out what the audience wants to hear. All in hopes to get more voters than the other side.

-

“Should the superheroes stay?” 

Chloé memorized the way her father studied the crowd. After years spent perfecting his dramatic pause, he effortlessly appeared like a man with a strong sense of dedication and quick answers. Not like the total people pleaser, he is really. Performing with a strong voice and stern expression as if he wasn’t searching the crowd for a clue on what they wanted to hear. Hiding the fact that sometimes he was completely clueless. 

Then he just fucking said it. After all the years and amazing rescues, he still had the guts to say it. 

“It’s time for Paris to step up.” 

Bullshit. Who gonna fights a magical super-villain other than the magical superheroes?

“It’s time for Paris to handle this dilemma as it happens on our soil.” 

The police couldn’t handle an angry squirrel. 

“We thank the heroes for their time and efforts, but it’s not necessary. They will not have to continue. Paris can protect itself by itself. The heroes need to step down, they have done their duties. We have an astonishing police force with trained brave men and women that can handle the duty of protecting our city.

“Those kids can leave it to the professors now.” 

Mylène had to pull Chloé back to prevent her from slaughtering her dad. Both knowing very well that she could easily push Mylène off and jump on that stage if she didn’t have an ounce of self-respect. Spitting out a tangent on how they don’t know what they’re saying. How dare they talk as if Ladybug and Chat Noir were just involved citizens in community service rather than champions of the whole nation. As if they weren’t a buffer that stopped a monster from taking over. 

Yet, Chloé saved the fireball in her throat for later. Getting angry on live-tv would be horrible for her father’s campaign. Plus, a mess to deal with. Especially since she manages the media division. The last thing they need right now is another scandal and a rude hashtag flowing around. 

Instead of biting his head off at that exact moment, she settled for his pale complexion when his eyes laid on her. Startling the goosebumps on his arms and neck as her polished designer heels tapped the floor in an impatience manner. The same way her mother did whenever a problem arises from her dad’s incompetence.

"Did I say something wrong?" 

Chloé huffed. Spinning her heel into the other direction. 

–

The media was eating up the whole Miraculous debate. As if it was grease in fast food or cheap drugs, they just kept pumping it out. 

Headlines grew more absurd as more copies were sold. Just with headlines with “Ladybug” or “Chat Noir” was an instant seller. This back and forth grew to be an overused gag that some grew tired or fond of. Akuma attacks were no longer the center of the news, but why Ladybug and Chat Noir took so long to handle it or how it could have gone better. 

Chloé walked through the plaza with her fresh-brewed coffee and shades over her sky-blue eyes every morning on her way to work. Around the time the newspaper-stands restocked their goods about people asserting their problems and opinions with the incoming elections. She would ignore them but the fonts grew bigger and bigger with each issue. She fantasied about buying them all and burn them as a statement. However, burning trees or funding the editors of this journalism trash wasn’t her agenda. 

Anyways, she didn’t need to read about their exclusives. She already knew the truth. 

-and it killed her each and every day like the hot coffee she spilled on her legs during early mornings or the heels that split her ankles in half during clubbing nights. That little inconvenience that pinned her up into a tight spot. Creating a soft spot on her conscience. 

Brave Ladybug lurked behind a counter in her parent’s bakery. Charming Chat Noir practiced piano surrounded by reminders from his father’s assistant. The most hidden people in Paris were the people the stood in the front lines. Stopping angry akumatized girlfriends from tearing down homes or a pigeon man from trapping the city. 

Chloé knew their struggles or at least she knew how to dig a little to spot them. Marinette grew confident when her shiny new earrings arrived. Her eyes didn’t shy away from others when she spoke or laughed. Even making a little niche in the atmosphere for herself that no one could replace. Believing in herself, yet her stomach still flipped with anxiousness when she spoke to her crush. Picking her fingernails during Akuma alerts, itching for a chance to jump into action.

Adrien won an escape and could now breathe without restrictions but still held himself back. Not wanting to trouble anyone with his newfound secret freedom. However, that doesn’t stop his ‘energy’ from dripping into his stuffed schedule. Daring to sneak out and maybe even ditch his bodyguard for the sake of staying a moment longer. Bouncing back with a reason or excuse when he got caught. Holding back the "cat has eight more lives” line for a special bug if she asks about his weekend. 

Chloé saw back in lycèe (with the help of her side-eye) the glitter in their eyes when talking about their partner in the mask. Praising them as any REGULAR admirer would. Only to quickly panicked when someone mentioned their alter-ego in the mask. Panicking even more when asked why they were sweating bullets. 

This isn’t what the reporters were getting.

They wrote about selfish and cocky celebrities that seem no way close to the real thing that inspired the fictitious newspaper columns. That four-eyed blogger could write better news in her sleep then the “professors”. 

Chloé was even tempted to call Daddy and roar out that they need a full-on ban their stands. Yet, she was crossing the line with censorship of the press and other political stuff that Chloé didn’t want to deal with. She wasn’t that desperate, yet. 

Yet.

Till then, her nose will keep scrunching up at the sight of those foul magazines and the end of her pens will get chewed out in frustration. Mylène packs extra for Chloé when they accompany the mayor during his conferences in their internship. Sabrina, at one point, asked if she needed a chew toy after seeing all the bite marks. As a joke, of course. 

POINT IS, it’s utterly ridiculous how those journalists work. Heck, if they really did their job or were remotely good at it, they wouldn’t be in a clickbait war. They would uncover Ladybug and Chat Noir during the night. Catching them on their patrol or even when they find someone in need. 

Chloé would be the first to read a story like that. Maybe even provide herself as a potential interview for a story. Drawing back memories of late-night Akuma attacks or just snips of her encounters with the red bug and black cat. 

One that Chloé reminisces fondly is the night she saw Ladybug perched on the Effiel tower. The same night in her suite when Chloé coated her face with a mud mask. Sweeping the blonde hairs over her ears before they dried into her face mask. The only sound around was the soft buzz of her television behind her. Deflating her lungs quickly when she heard a zip and a blur of red. Launching herself to her bedstand to check the news. 

The red Akuma alert wasn’t on her screen and Chloé didn’t have her Queen Bee light on… 

Rushing off to her balcony to see what was going on. Hoping it’s just a false alarm or one of her patrols. Unlocking the balcony door, not expecting a chilly breeze blowing across her room. Her hands ran up and down her arms for warmth. Ignoring the tug on her face as her mud mask dried quicker with the wind. Catching the sunset glare as it shined its last bit of light before the night sunk in. 

There, the most eye-catching red, Ladybug stood on the tip of the Effiel tower. The clouds around her faded into the lovely shade of lilac and orange. Her eyes pointing in one direction as the wind blew in the other. Chloé could have been sure it was another patrol but Ladybug was alone. No alert was given. Chat Noir nowhere in sight and no signs of him rushing to the scene. 

Ladybug was just watching Paris. 

Paris as the citizens got ready to pull the sheets over their heads and call it a night. As the sun slipped away and the famous streetlights were lit again. 

Paris was going to sleep. Nothing exciting. 

Yet, Ladybug watched it. 

Marinette Dupian-Cheng watched over it.

Standing on the edge of what seemed like air and nothingness. Rebelling against gravity as it wanted to pull her so strongly down. Yet, Ladybug stood there. 

Watching Paris. 

Ladybug took a big breath in. Her chest rising in one big motion. All before she took the leap. Throwing her yo-yo back. Twirling around the steel tower as she flew. Just like a ladybug. A long cheer followed the heroine as she had the biggest smile on her face. Chloé knows because even with the harsh streetlights and dimming atmosphere, she could swear it lit up the sky. Just like how the sun did a few minutes ago. 

Chloé forgot how to breathe at the moment. Watching the superhero flip and spin in the air as if she was a feather. Like a fairy jumping in the wind without trouble. Making Chloé miss the feeling of spandex and the mask as she stood outside in her pj’s while Ladybug jumped from building to building. 

Chloé sighed into her elbow as the peck of red disappeared from the sky. 'She’s probably going home to do homework.’ Marinette seemed like the type to do homework before she yawns and slips into bed. Maybe her kwami told her to go to bed if the clock hit a certain time. Maybe her kwami would talk to Marinette till she drifted off to sleep. Chloé suddenly felt a little lonely. Wishing Pollen was here to snuggle up against her cheek.

When Chloé found out about the miraculous duo’s identities, it changed a lot of things for her. It’s tough to keep it hush-hush as Marinette bumbled bad excuses on why she’s late. Adrien’s shy smile seems fake knowing how a joke and smirk could easily curl out his lips. Marinette’s leadership was as sharp as the bug in battle. Adrien’s playful nature had the same heart as the cat in the leather suit.

Knowing their identities also made it harder for Chloé to watch the press tear them apart from their beloved Paris- and from each other. 

Chloé thought that if it got bad enough, the heroes would end up getting akumatized. But she’ll never say it out loud. 

She doesn't want to jinx it. 

Overhearing Alya mumbling to Nino during lunch about the same worry. Even dropping details from reports of late-night patrols going on in the city. Ladybug pulled out more hours from her sleep to work. Chat Noir tried to stop her, begging her to take a break. Only joining her in the end when she proves to be more stubborn with the less sleep she got. 

Even making what was going to be the most exciting and anxious moment for their careers, a nightmare to go through. Chloé, Rena Rouge, and Carapace don’t much of the details, but an identity-reveal happened at the wrong moment with the worst timing. 

So when Ladybug and Chat Noir was put out of commission for some time due to secret business, Chloé wasn’t surprised to see a little black box in her balcony that week. Hidden in the same spot as last time. Only this time with a note. Asking her if she was ready to protect Paris from the flames when the saviors couldn’t. Ready for her to say the magic words the moment her beloved little Pollen popped out with their greeting. 

France can thrive without a Queen, but never without it’s Bee. 

Jumping over buildings and bridges to reach the Effiel Tower. With a fox and turtle waiting for her arrival.

**Author's Note:**

> Find more of my work here or get early access on Tumblr @bugaboowritings
> 
> The fic referenced is COMING SOON here on ao3! (Updating) 
> 
> The fic referenced is here on Tumblr! https://bugaboowritings.tumblr.com/post/186817544101/when-chloe-knows-she-knows-ladybug-reveal-fic


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